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National Transportation Safety Board
Aviation Accident Final Report
Location:
Lubbock, TX
Accident Number:
CEN09MA142
Date & Time:
01/27/2009, 0437 CST
Registration:
N902FX
Aircraft:
AEROSPATIALE ALENIA ATR 42-320
Aircraft Damage:
Substantial
Defining Event:
Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries:
N/A
Flight Conducted Under:
Part 121: Air Carrier - Non-scheduled
Analysis
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The
Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-11/02.
On January 27, 2009, about 0437 central standard time, an Avions de Transport Régional
Aerospatiale Alenia ATR 42 320, N902FX, operating as Empire Airlines flight 8284, was on an
instrument approach when it crashed short of the runway at Lubbock Preston Smith
International Airport, Lubbock, Texas. The captain sustained serious injuries, and the first
officer sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was
registered to Federal Express Corporation and operated by Empire Airlines, Inc., as a 14 Code
of Federal Regulations Part 121 supplemental cargo flight. The flight departed from Fort Worth
Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas, about 0313. Instrument meteorological conditions
prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain a minimum safe airspeed while executing an
instrument approach in icing conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low
altitude. Contributing to the accident were 1) the flight crew's failure to follow published
standard operating procedures in response to a flap anomaly, 2) the captain's decision to
continue with the unstabilized approach, 3) the flight crew's poor crew resource management,
and 4) fatigue due to the time of day in which the accident occurred and a cumulative sleep
debt, which likely impaired the captain's performance.
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Findings
Aircraft
Personnel issues
Environmental issues
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Factual Information
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The
Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-11/02.
On January 27, 2009, about 0437 central standard time, an Avions de Transport Régional
Aerospatiale Alenia ATR 42 320, N902FX, operating as Empire Airlines flight 8284, was on an
instrument approach when it crashed short of the runway at Lubbock Preston Smith
International Airport, Lubbock, Texas. The captain sustained serious injuries, and the first
officer sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was
registered to Federal Express Corporation and operated by Empire Airlines, Inc., as a 14 Code
of Federal Regulations Part 121 supplemental cargo flight. The flight departed from Fort Worth
Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas, about 0313. Instrument meteorological conditions
prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed.
History of Flight
Approach-IFR final approach
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Approach-IFR initial
approach
Aerodynamic stall/spin (Defining event)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make:
Registration:
N902FX
Model/Series:
Aircraft Category:
Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built:
No
Airworthiness Certificate:
Serial Number:
325
Landing Gear Type:
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
37258 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:
2 Turbo Prop
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer:
Pratt and Whitney Canada
ELT:
Engine Model/Series:
PW 121
Registered Owner:
Rated Power:
1950 hp
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s)
Held:
Supplemental
Operator Does Business As:
Operator Designator Code:
COEA
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Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:
Instrument Conditions
Condition of Light:
Night/Dark
Observation Facility, Elevation:
LBB, 3282 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time:
0415 CST
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility
2 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Overcast / 500 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
6000 ft
Wind Speed/Gusts:
10 knots /
Turbulence Type
Forecast/Actual:
/
Wind Direction:
350°
Turbulence Severity
Forecast/Actual:
/
Altimeter Setting:
30.22 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point:
8°C / 9°C
Precipitation and Obscuration:
Light - Freezing - Drizzle; Mist
Departure Point:
Fort Worth, TX (AFW)
IFR
Destination:
Lubbock, TX (LBB)
IFR
Departure Time:
0319 CST
Class D
Airport Information
Airport:
Lubbock Preston Smith (LBB)
Runway Surface Type:
Concrete
Airport Elevation:
3282 ft
Runway Surface Condition:
Ice; Wet
Runway Used:
17R
IFR Approach:
ILS
Runway Length/Width:
11500 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing:
None
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries:
N/A
Aircraft Damage:
Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
N/A
Aircraft Fire:
On-Ground
Ground Injuries:
N/A
Aircraft Explosion:
On-Ground
Total Injuries:
N/A
Latitude, Longitude:
33.658056, -101.820278 (est)
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Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC):
Leah D Yeager
Adopted Date:
04/26/2011
Additional Participating Persons:
Marc Roy; Federal Express; Memphis, TN
Richard Mills; Empire Airlines; Hayden, ID
Carl Mason; Pratt and Whitney; Dallas, TX
John Melnick; Aerospatiale Alenia (ATR); Dulles, VA
Guilhem Nicolas; Bureau d'Enquetes; France,
Victoria Anderson; Federal Aviation Administration; Washington, DC
Publish Date:
05/11/2011
Investigation Docket:
NTSB accident and incident dockets serve as permanent archival information for the NTSB’s
investigations. Dockets released prior to June 1, 2009 are publicly available from the NTSB’s
Record Management Division at pubinq@ntsb.gov, or at 800-877-6799. Dockets released after
this date are available at http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms/.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), established in 1967, is an independent federal agency mandated
by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine
the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate
the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The NTSB makes public its actions and
decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and
statistical reviews.
The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence
or use of any part of an NTSB report related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a
matter mentioned in the report.